Таємничий острів

           Theninacalmertone,"Doyouknow,CaptainHarding,"saidhe,"whattheballiswhichIhaverammedintomygun?"

           "No,Pencroft!"

           "ItistheballthatwentthroughHerbert’schest,andIpromiseyouitwon’tmissitsmark!"

           ButthisjustretaliationwouldnotbringAyrtonbacktolife,andfromtheexaminationofthefootprintsleftintheground,theymust,alas!concludethatallhopesofeverseeinghimagainmustbeabandoned.

           ThateveningtheyencampedfourteenmilesfromGraniteHouse,andCyrusHardingcalculatedthattheycouldnotbemorethanfivemilesfromReptilePoint.

           Andindeed,thenextdaytheextremityofthepeninsulawasreached,andthewholelengthoftheforesthadbeentraversed;buttherewasnothingtoindicatetheretreatinwhichtheconvictshadtakenrefuge,northat,nolesssecret,whichshelteredthemysteriousunknown.